SJ police arrest suspected shooter in Oakland firefighter's death

It was a somber scene as firefighters lined Interstate 880 to pay tribute to one of their own who was killed, not while battling a fire, but instead shot to death while out with friends. Jake Walter's body was escorted by CHP and his family to Oakland's Chapel of the Chimes on Friday. (KGO-TV)

KGO

by Katie Utehs

Friday, August 18, 2017

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) --

It was a somber scene as firefighters lined Interstate 880 to pay tribute to one of their own who was killed, not while battling a fire, but instead shot to death while out with friends. Jake Walter's body was escorted by CHP and his family to Oakland's Chapel of the Chimes on Friday.

Fellow Oakland firefighters performed CPR on the 30-year-old around 9:30 p.m. Thursday after he'd been shot. The group of five firefighters, in plain clothes, attended an event at the Gordon Biersch Brewery in San Jose before the shooting.

"It was chaos. People were running after the second shot. They were just running around," said witness Amit Aggerwal.

The apparent randomness of the off duty attack is all the more unsettling for the 30 other rookie firefighters who graduated with Walter just this last April.

"We don't really think about the hazards or the chance encounters that you might have off duty that could also lead to a similar outcome," said Oakland Fire Department Interim Chief Darin White.

Police say there are no other outstanding suspects. Extra resources are being brought in for firefighters in distress.

The City of Oakland released the following information for people who'd like to help: Anyone wishing to make monetary donations in support of the fallen and injured firefighters can do so by sending a check made out to: 1) Friends of Oakland Fire OR 2) Oakland Firefighters' Local 55 Charity Fund. The mailing address for either organization is 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 3rd floor, Oakland, CA 94612.